Tag Archives: Butter

Please allow me to introduce you to Magic… Magic, this is the people of the United States, Australia, England, France, Brazil, Russia, Spain, Poland, the Ukraine, etc. Sorry for those followers I didn’t list but I really dont know your all of your names so hopefully this introduction will suffice! This is a honestly one of the quickest week night dinners I have made in quite some time, and I have all the faith in the world that if your a fan of Chicken Cordon Bleu, you will love this majestical little gent!

I have to say that I think aside from dilly-dallying around my kitchen, sipping wine (surprisingly yes wine and not craft beer) it only took me about 35 minutes from skillet to plate! Who in their right mind do not like easy weeknight skillet bakes?! The devil, that’s who!

Ingredients

1 Pkg Cooked Penne

2 Cups Cream

1 Cup Cream Cheese

2 Cups Swiss Cheese; shredded

2 Cups Chicken; cooked + chopped

1 Cup Ham Cold Cuts; Chopped

3/4 Cups Bacon Crumbles

1 Tsp Garlic Powder

1 Tsp Onion Powder

1/2 Tsp Black Pepper

1 Cup Pepperidge Farms Stuffing

4 Tbsp Salted Butter

For this recipe as well as any other pasta dishes that include bacon, I use thick sliced bacon. I do this because I feel that it adds to the crispness and well as flavor.

What we need to do is cook the bacon nice and crisp so that we can crumble and add it in due time to our skillet bake!

I tend to cook my bacon using the water method but tomato-tomato, so feel free to cook your bacon however you want!

Personally, I have never over cooked bacon this way and it is always perfectly crispy and beautifully crunchy so until she proves me wrong, I will continue with this controversial cooking method! Pfffft you know I like to live life on the edge every now and then!

[Insert honey badger narrative voice here]

Would you look at that?!

Cook your pasta as directed on the packages instructions for al dente, then add your cream and cream cheese in a large oven safe skillet over medium heat all the while whisking to fully incorporate. Once it is all happy and combined, reduce the heat to medium-low.

Would you look at that! Also note that those are bubbles from whisking, NOT BOILING!

Toss in your Garlic + Onion Powder as well as black pepper… (Okay, now those are bubbles from simmering)

Once again, whisk well to combine!

Toss in 1 1/2 cup of your Swiss Cheese (reserving 1/2 cup for the topping) and you guessed it…. whisk well to combine… See? This is so easy, a monkey could do it!

Continue whisking until fully melted and at this point we want to reduce the heat to low.

Toss in your chicken and ham…

Stir well to fully combine all the magical goodness!

GAAAH MY GAWD THERE IS SO MUCH MAGIC HAPPENING RIGHT NOW THAT MY FEELING CAN NOT TAKE IT!!!!!

Finally drain your pasta and add to your skillet!

Toss well to fully combine and coat your pasta evenly, then remove from heat and set aside.

This delectable little number came from Smitten Kitchen who in turn got it from Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. If you are curious about dabbling a bit in the art that is Julia Child, I came across a website dedicated to her recipes here. I know I will definitely be poking around on there in the future and for now, it will have to suffice until I remember to pickup her cook book the next time I am around a book shop.

Honestly, this recipe only took me about 20 minutes from start to finish. Easiest way, hands down, to please any seafood eater. Not only does it have the complexities of a dish from a fine establishment, but it also looks fancy as f**. Just saying. So with all of that being said, click on the links above for Smitten Kitchen’s recipe and other magical creations from Julia Child when you get a moment. You wont be sorry!

Ingredients

2 Cups Dry White Wine; I used Pinot Grigrio

6 Tbsp Butter

1/2 Cup Minced Shallots or Green Onions

8 Parsley Sprigs

1 Bay Leaf

1/8 Tsp Ground Pepper

1/4 Tsp Dried Thyme

1/2 Cup Chopped Parsley

1 1/2-2 Lbs Mussels; soaked and scrubbed

Combine all the ingredients except for the mussels and chopped parsley in a large pot.

Bring to a boil over high heat and allow to boil for 2-3 minutes so that all the alcohol evaporates and it reduces slightly.

Add your mussels to the pot and cover tightly.

Continue to boil, shaking the pot from time to time to ensure even cooking, for about 5 minutes. You will know the mussels are cooked thoroughly once they all open.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the mussels to a large bowl and allow the broth to rest a bit so that any remaining sand falls to the bottom of the pot. Ladle the broth over the mussels and some into a separate bowl to dip some crusty bread in, and finally dust your chopped parsley.

I love anything with garlic, butter, brown sugar, honey, more garlic, more butter… well you get the point.

Whenever I came across this recipe on [you guessed it] Le Ole’ Pinterest, it was as if I made a deal with the devil. Not only was my chicken so juicy, tender, sweet, and tangy… it was also pumped up with enough butter to make Paula Dean blush and the little fat cherubs in heaven blare their trumpets and rejoice!

Clearly I did not follow the recipe to the “T” because if I did, it would have been a bit healthier… actually a lot healthier… but that’s besides the point! There are two types of people in this world, I tell ya! Those of us who follow the rules… And the rest of us who were born to break every last one…. What can I say, I am a rebel at heart </3

The original recipe came from Damn Delicious and I am not sorry I happened upon this majestical website of delectable little goodies. I think that you should all take some time to click on the link and check them out! I will tell you, they are my new go-to when looking for something new and exciting to try.

I am not ashamed to say that I have a slight obsession with brown butter sauces lately. When you melt your butter over the stove and it starts to turn golden in color and forms a nutty aroma and flavor… that’s exactly what I dream about! Its like buttered pasta on steroids! It turns even your most boring pasta dishes into a perfect and impressive fall/winter comfort food. Hey, you can even add some minced fresh sage to kick it up a notch! Brown butter and sage goes hand in hand! Oh and dont get me started about adding fresh minced garlic into the mix… that’s when all bets are off and I morph into my spirit animal (Paula Dean) and shit gets real!

But really, I have such an obsession with it that I even make brown butter and garlic popcorn. I know, I know… it sounds so weird and I know you dont want to admit this part… but intriguing as well. Don’t be ashamed… Embrace your inner brown butter she-rah voodoo princess… I wont judge you so long as you dont judge me…

This is a little gem that I came across on [you guessed it] Le Pinterest Machine. All credit is due to this majestical little site called Fork Knife Swoon, and swoon I did! As you will see, I did change a few things here and there but that is due to me not having exactly what was in the original recipe. It still came out beautifully rich and nutty so feel free to try this version or the original by clicking the link to check them out. I promise you will not be disappointed!

Ingredients

1 Lb Fettuccine; cooked al dente

11 Tbsp Salted Butter

2 Tbsp Fresh Garlic, minced

2 Tbsp Fresh Sage; minced

1 Tbsp Fresh Thyme

1 Tbsp Fresh Parsley; minced

3/4 Cup Italian Bread Crumbs

1/8 Tsp Ground Nutmeg

1/2 Tsp Salt

1/2 Tsp Ground Black Pepper

1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese; freshly grated

Cook pasta according to directions on the package for al dente.

Melt 3 Tbsp butter in a saute pan over medium heat.

Once the butter is all happy and melted, add your bread crumbs, thyme, parsley, and nutmeg. Combine well and toast about 3-4 minutes stirring occasionally until they are all nice and golden.

Pffft, magic. Once they are done, transfer your toasted bread crumbs to into a small bowl and set aside. Wipe your pan (carefully) with a paper towel and return to the stove top.

Add remaining 8 tablespoons of butter to the saute pan and melt over medium high heat.

When your butter begins to foam, start whisking away!

Keep whisking!!!!

Then when the butter starts to turn slightly golden, toss in your garlic and sage and continue to whisk constantly.

When the butter is a nice deep golden in color, remove the skillet from the burner and continue to whisk for another minute or so.

Now you can officially rest your arm! YAY!

Add your cooked fettuccine to the pan then sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss well to coat evenly.

Doesn’t it look magical? Well brace yourself, it gets even better!

Sprinkle your toasted bread crumbs over the pasta and serve with a generous dusting of parmesan cheese.

I have to say, I am a glutton for brown butter and after making this dish, it is now a regular in my rotation!

So here’s to being gluttonous brown butter addicts and relishing in our nutty-buttery goodness together!

A whole chicken slathered with a garlic and fresh herb butter, stuffed full of carrots, celery, and onions, trussed up nice and well, set on top of a bed of fresh baguette bread torn up to serve as an edible roasting rack and whole garlic cloves scattered about the pan.

Pure bliss.

Not only is it a great dinner idea for a chilly fall day here in New England, but it makes for great left overs as well as chicken and wild rice soup later on that week! Just call me resourceful… just kidding, that’s the normal way of life LOL…

But really, the edible roasting rack is pretty genius if you ask me… not only does it elevate your roast, it also serves as a.m.a.z.i.n.g croutons for a side salad when it comes down to plating! Now that is majestic if you ask me…

Ingedients for Herb Crusted Chicken

1 Whole Chicken

1 Loaf of Baguette Bread

1 Head of Garlic

1/2 Cup of Butter

1 Tbsp Fresh Thyme; minced

1 Tbsp Fresh Rosemary; minced

1 Tbsp Fresh Sage; minced

Butchers Twine

Preheat your oven to 425F.

Allow the butter to come to room temperature, if it is not already just zap it quickly in the microwave but carefully so that it doesn’t melt.

Mince 3 garlic cloves and add them to the butter.

Mince your rosemary, sage, and thyme then add them to the butter as well.

Remove the giblets from the cavity then rinse inside and outside of the chicken under cool water then pat your chicken dry.

Truss it up nice and well with butchers twine, then set aside.

Tear up your baguette bread and scatter about the baking pan then add the remaining head of garlic. (Don’t worry about peeling the cloves, they will practically fall out of their shells when they have been roasted)

Drizzle some extra virgin olive oil over the torn up bread and garlic cloves, then set the chicken in the center of the pan on top of the bread.

Slather the chicken with the butter mixture evenly and sprinkle with some salt and pepper.

Roast for 1 1/2 hours or until the juices run clear and the internal breast temperature reads 180 degrees.

Allow chicken to rest about 10 minutes before carving so that the juices settle.

Scatter thyme sprigs about the pan and roast at 425F for 35-40 minutes or until tender stirring halfway through roasting.

I hope you all enjoy, and I apologize for the lack of action shots… I was not planning on posting the recipe, but it was too good not to share! Also, if you are so inclined to drop a line, please let me know your favorite way to roast a chicken! I am constantly looking for new and exciting recipes and would love to hear from you all!